Nueva York (Primera Parte)
After the departure of Napoléon III, our heroes are deciding their most immediate threat after Spain. El Enigma convinces them that British America is at the top of the list, and that crippling the British American economy by disrupting the finances of New York will go a long way toward eliminating the threat. President Juárez produces fake identification papers and plenty of British American currency for everyone. El Tigre de Plata is now a common labourer named Terry Plater; La Mística is now Marcia Plater, his loyal, long-suffering wife; Rascar Cápac is now Casper Jones, a Victorian gentleman of independent means (he even disguises his face as British for this endeavour); Supamaanz is now Derek Johnson, a man from a well-to-do family who is trying to make his way in the world; and El Enigma is now Derek's mother, Lady Lucretia Johnson, who is desperately trying to ensure that her son makes his way in the world. President Juárez disappears to find an inconspicuous part of New York to which he can transport the heroes without being detected. Once he finds it, he returns - with clothing appropriate for all of them! The ladies are in long, flowing black dresses, and Lady Johnson's dress comes with a black veil convenient for hiding her face. Mr. Plater and Mr. Johnson are at least in formal suits, and Mr. Jones has the full black regalia, including his own bowler hat. Mr. Harris (President Juárez) is no less impressive with his full black regalia and top hat to match. They arrive in New York, which is strewn with three-story buildings everywhere and an impressive skyline for its day. Lady Johnson suggests that they head to the nearest gin palace for an afternoon drink so as to find a suitable target in the finance world. The heroes agree to go in, minus Lady Johnson and Mrs. Plater (ladies of propriety just don't go into gin palaces, you know), who wait outside. Our four gentlemen order their drinks - Mr. Johnson (with very refined RP) and Mr. Plater (with a very noticeable Cockney accent) order respective pints of gin, whereas Mr. Harris and Mr. Jones are a bit more reserved with their drinks. A tall, well-built, and somewhat tipsy bar patron approaches, impressed with the former gentlemen's ability to hold their liquor. He introduces himself as John Bull, chief executive of Bull Financial in New York. He strikes up a conversation with Mr. Plater and Mr. Johnson and enquires about their trade; they both mention that they do manual labour on the docks. He invites them to interview for jobs as security guards for his firm and asks them to report for interviews at 9 AM the following Monday. He then approaches Mr. Jones and asks him in what field he is an expert; Mr. Jones replies that he is a mining magnate and is familiar with various ores and minerals. Mr. Bull is duly impressed and invites him for an interview on Monday as a finance officer. The men thank him for his generosity, finish their drinks, and leave the gin palace. Meanwhile, the ladies' wait is uneventful, save for a young man accosting the two ladies outside the gin palace as the gentlemen emerge from it. The accosting gentleman steps out of his carriage and accuses Lady Johnson and Mrs. Plater of being harlots for waiting outside a gin palace with no male chaperones; they protest, calling him a scoundrel and telling him to mind his own affairs. Upon hearing this heated exchange between a local ruffian and "his mother," Derek fights him off and tells him to go on about his business. Relieved and grateful for an end to the close shave, Lady Johnson suggests that they call a hire carriage over and hastily retire to the Waldorf; exhausted, the party agree to retire there and stay at the hotel long enough for Mr. Jones, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Plater to secure their respective "jobs." Once there, they check in, get two separate but adjoining rooms, and go on about the business of hiring an entourage of local servants for rather generous wages. They charge the servants with the task of procuring an on-call hire carriage for them, in addition to a week's worth of clothing for all. When the servants are away doing just that, the heroes agree that they will present themselves as well-to-do British Americans, observing proprieties (or not) as appropriate. Mr. Harris agrees to appear at mealtimes and drinking occasions, not forgetting that he still has a country to run as President Juárez. The servants appear around tea-time with the required garments and the on-call carriage. Mr. Harris then asks them to accompany the group to tea in the hotel restaurant. The heroes, accompanied by servants, have what appears to be an enjoyable meal; however, this is anything but a leisurely meal, especially considering the near-miss that happens. The ladies retire to the ladies' section, nattering and gossiping with the locals whilst eating and having the occasional sip of sherry. The gentlemen have their meal, and Mr. Plater and Mr. Johnson both walk to the restaurant's bar and order pints of gin for themselves and considerably less gin for their associates. Mr. Plater and Mr. Johnson both strike up a conversation with some local men, but the conversation turns sour when one of the locals asks them where they come from; Mr. Plater says that he's from Old London, but the local man opens his eyes incredulously and loudly declares, "But Old Britain's a French prison island now! No one's lived there for generations!" At this point, whilst Mr. Johnson is beginning to stutter his way through an attempt at clarification, Lady Johnson and Mrs. Plater approach. Mrs. Plater accosts her "husband," telling him that he shouldn't drink so much because it addles his senses! She then promptly apologises to the local man, and the group make a hasty exit. In private, President Juárez firmly places his hands on the respective shoulders of Supamaanz and El Tigre de Plata and admonishes them for attempting to tell such an implausible story in public! They apologise to El Presidente and agree to be more careful, especially where it concerns the interview on Monday morning. TO BE CONTINUED!